The present invention relates to an apparatus for performing a punching operation. More particularly, the invention relates to paper punches having a linkage to provide a mechanical advantage to facilitate manual punching of the workpiece.
Punches to perform a punching operation, such as punching one or more holes in a stack of paper sheets, are typically configured to punch horizontally oriented sheets of paper with a vertically aligned punch mechanism. These require that an operator carefully ensure that the sheets are appropriately aligned with each other and the punch mechanism.
Typical punches that accommodate vertically oriented paper leave an upper portion of the paper unsupported, allowing the paper to buckle or fall over, which can move the paper out of alignment with respect to the punch mechanism. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,288 to Holland discloses a punch having a stripper plate and a die plate that form a guide for the vertical entry of a sheet to be punched.
Punches that employ a linkage to actuate the punch, include links generally aligned above a vertically oriented punch mechanism. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,782 to Groswith, III et al. discloses a punch having a four-bar linkage in which displaced portions of the paper are discarded beneath a horizontal die plate.
The present invention relates to a punch for punching a workpiece. The punch preferably includes a base to stably support the punch and a support member configured to accommodate and locate the workpiece in a punching position. The support member is preferably movably connected to the base and preferably includes at least one punch member configured and operably associated with the support member to punch the workpiece in the punching position upon actuation movement of the support portion with respect to the base. Work pieces suitable for punching with any of the punches of the invention include paper work pieces, such as one or more sheets of paper.
The punch preferably includes a kinematic linkage that includes the base and also a first member that includes the support member. Preferably, the linkage comprises at least four link members movable with respect to each other and connected together in a closed loop.
The support member is preferably pivotably connected to the base and the actuation movement is a pivoting motion with respect to the base. The punch preferably includes an actuating portion configured for manual operation and mechanically operatively connected to the support member and punch member for manually imparting the actuation movement. In a preferred embodiment, actuating portion is pivotable through an angle greater than about 60 degrees to actuate the punch.
In another preferred embodiment, the linkage includes at least four pivots defining there between a quadrilateral having at least two opposed, substantially non-parallel sides. The linkage preferably includes at least two opposed, substantially non-parallel sides that include first and second pairs of opposed, substantially non-parallel sides.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a punch for punching a workpiece. The punch preferably includes a four-bar linkage comprising at four members movable parallel to a first plane upon actuation of the linkage and a support member operably associated with the linkage and configured to accommodate and locate the workpiece. The punch includes at least two punch elements configured to punch at least two holes in the workpiece upon actuation of the linkage, wherein the at least two punch elements are movable within a second plane upon actuation of the linkage, wherein the second plane is disposed at an angle to the first plane.
In a preferred embodiment, the first plane is substantially perpendicular to the second plane. The linkage is preferably manually operable and preferably includes an manually actuating operable actuating member movable substantially parallel to the first plane. The support portion is preferably configured to receive the workpiece at an upright angle for punching.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a punch for punching at least one sheet of paper. The punch includes a base and a support portion having a paper tray oriented an angle with respect to the base to punchably support a sufficient portion of the sheet of paper to prevent an unsupported portion of the paper from falling over and withdrawing from the support portion. The punch preferably includes at least one punch mechanism operably associated with the support portion to punch at least one hole in the supported sheet upon actuation of the punch.
In a preferred embodiment, the paper tray and punch mechanism are oriented to expel paper chips from the punch in a direction at a non-zero angle with respect to the horizontal. Preferably, the punch element, such as a punch pin of the punch mechanism, travels along a punch axis that is disposed at a non-zero angle with respect to the horizontal. Preferably, the axis is at least about 0.5xc2x0 and more preferably, at least about 3xc2x0 to the horizontal. The expelled chips are visible to an operator as they are punched. Preferably, the punch also includes a container associated with the punch mechanism and configured to receive a portion of the paper chips, wherein the container is sufficiently transparent to allow the paper chips to be viewed therethrough.
The support surface is preferably oriented at an angle from the vertical to allow gravity to assist positioning the first surface of the sheet of paper against the support portion. At least a portion of the support portion is concave along a horizontal direction.
The punch preferably includes an at least four-member linkage operably associated with the punch mechanism and support portion such that actuation of the linkage actuates the punch. In a preferred embodiment, the linkage comprises an actuating portion manually operable to acuate the linkage.
Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a punch for punching at least one sheet of paper, including a base, a support portion comprising an arcuate portion configured to support a first surface of the sheet of paper in an arcuate punching position, and at least one punch mechanism operably associated with the support portion to punch at least one hole in the supported sheet upon actuation of the punch.
The support portion is preferably oriented upright to allow gravity to assist positioning the paper against the support surface. More preferably the support portion is oriented at an angle to the vertical and more than one-third of the support portion is arcuate.
Another embodiment of the invention relates to a punch for punching holes in a workpiece, comprising a linkage comprising at least one member, a support member operably associated with the linkage and configured to accommodate the workpiece, at least one punch mechanism operably associated with the support member and linkage to punch a hole substantially adjacent a first edge of the workpiece upon actuation of the linkage. By substantially adjacent the first edge it is meant a distance suitable to allow the punched workpiece to be secured within a binding mechanism, such as a ring binder. Preferably, the member moves within a plane that is transverse to the first edge of the workpiece. In a preferred embodiment, the plane is substantially perpendicular to the first edge of the workpiece. The linkage is preferably a four bar linkage comprising four members. Each of the four members preferably move in a respective plane transverse to the first edge.
Another embodiment of the invention relates to a punch for punching holes in at least one sheet of paper, comprising a base, a support portion oriented upright with respect to the base to punchably support a sufficient portion of the sheet of paper to prevent an unsupported portion of the paper from falling over, at least one punch mechanism operably associated with the support portion to punch at least one hole in the supported sheet upon actuation of the punch.
Preferably, the support surface is oriented at an angle from the vertical to allow gravity to assist positioning the first surface of the sheet of paper against the support portion.
Another embodiment of the invention relates to a punch for punching holes in a workpiece comprising a four bar linkage and an at least one punch element operably associated with a first member of the linkage where upon actuation of the linkage, an arcuate motion of the first member operates the punch to punch a whole in the workpiece. Preferably the linkage comprises at least four members.
In the preferred embodiment, the first member of the linkage abuts the at least one punch element upon actuation of the linkage. The embodiment preferably includes a second member of the linkage that is configured to stably support the punch. The punch preferably comprises a support member to accommodate and locate the workpiece in an upright punching position. In the preferred embodiment, the linkage is actuated upon an arcuate motion of a third member of the linkage, the first and third being pivotably associated.